A telecommunications system includes a plurality of networks. At least one of the networks is a network for wireless telecommunications. Each network comprises a network controller, and the system also comprises a user controller. The user controller negotiates with the network controllers for of transport for a service to the user. The user controller agrees to contracts for transport with at least two networks, in respect to each of which the probability of providing transport is less than one.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A telecommunications system comprising a plurality of networks at least one of which is a network for wireless telecommunications, each network comprising a network controller, the system also comprising a user controller, the user controller, in use, negotiating with the network controllers for provision of transport for a service to a user wherein the negotiation results in agreeing to contracts for transport of the service with at least two networks in respect to each of which the probability of providing transport is less than one, wherein the negotiations between the user controller and network controllers are via a service controller, the service controller being operative to negotiate with the network controllers for provision of transport of a service to the user, the user controller agreeing to contracts with both of a first network and a second network for shared transport of the service and having a first probability of providing transport, and agreeing to a contract for transport with a third network having a second probability of providing transport.
2. A telecommunications system according to claim 1 , wherein the contract for transport with a third network is a contract for shared transport between the third network and the first network, second network or another network.
3. A method of transport provision for a service to a user, in a telecommunications system comprising a user controller and a plurality of networks at least one of which is a network for wireless telecommunications, each network comprising a network controller, the method comprising the user controller negotiating with the network controllers for provision of transport for the service leading to the user controller agreeing to contracts for transport of the service with at least two networks in respect of each of which the probability of transport is less than one, wherein the negotiations between the user controller and network controllers are via a service controller, the service controller being operative to negotiate with the network controllers for provision of transport of a service to the user, the user controller agreeing to contracts with both of a first network and a second network for shared transport of the service and having a first probability of providing transport, and agreeing to a contract for transport with a third network having a second probability of providing transport.
4. A method according to claim 3 , wherein the contract for transport with a third network is a contract for shared transport between the third network and the first network, second network or another network.
5. A telecommunications system according to claim 1 , wherein the user controller is a user agent and each network controller is a network provider negotiation agent, of a multi-agent distributed control software system.
6. A telecommunications system according to claim 1 , wherein the negotiations between the user controller and network controllers are via a service controller, the service controller being operative to negotiate with the network controllers as to transport provision to the user of the service.
7. A telecommunications system according to claim 6 , wherein the user controller is a user agent, each network controller is a network provider negotiation agent, and each service controller is a service provider negotiation agent, of a multi-agent distributed control software system.
8. A telecommunications system according to claim 7 , wherein the multi-agent distributed control software system is in accordance with Contract Net Protocol.
9. A telecommunications system according to claim 1 , wherein the user controller in use agrees to contracts for transport with both a first network having a higher probability of providing transport and a second network having a lesser probability of providing transport.
10. A telecommunications system according to claim 9 , wherein the first network is used initially to transport the service to the user, intersystem handover to the second network then being undertaken dependent upon a predetermined criterion.
11. A telecommunications system according to claim 1 , wherein each network with which a contract for transport is agreed, in use, makes some radio resource reservation to accommodate said transport dependent upon the respective probability of the network providing transport.
12. A telecommunications system according to claim 1 , in which at least one network controller considers user location and/or terminal capabilities in estimating the probability of that network providing transport.
13. A telecommunications system according to claim 1 , wherein network controllers dictate with what probability their networks can provide the transport, and the user controller or a service controller selects at least two networks to contract with in consequence.
14. A telecommunications system according to claim 1 , wherein the user controller negotiates with the network controllers for provision of transport for multiple simultaneous services to the user, the user controller agreeing to contracts for transport of the multiple services with at least two networks in respect to each of which the probability of providing transport of each service is less than one.
15. A telecommunications system according to claim 1 , wherein the negotiations between the user controller and network controllers are via a service controller, the service controller being operative to negotiate on behalf of a set of users with the network controllers for provision of transport for services to the set of users, each user controller thereby agreeing to contracts for transport with at least two networks in respect to each of which the probability of providing transport for each service is less than one.
16. A telecommunication system according to claim 1 , wherein at least two of the network controllers collaborate with each other in the negotiation.
17. A telecommunications system according to claim 1 , wherein the negotiation is undertaken before or after transport of the service is started.
18. A telecommunications system according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the networks is a code division multiple access (CDMA) or wideband code division multiple access (W-CDMA) network for wireless telecommunications.
19. A method according to claim 3 , wherein the user controller is a user agent and each network controller is a network provider negotiation agent, of a multi-agent distributed control software system.
20. A method according to claim 3 , wherein the negotiations between the user controller and network controllers are via a service controller, the service controller negotiating with the network controllers as to transport provision to the user of the service.
21. A method according to claim 20 , wherein the user controller is a user agent, each network controller is a network provider negotiation agent, and each service controller is a service provider negotiation agent, of a multi-agent distributed control software system.
22. A method according to claim 21 , wherein the multi-agent distributed control software system is in accordance with Contract Net Protocol.
23. A method according to claim 3 , wherein the user controller agreeing to contracts for transport with both a first network having a higher probability of providing transport and a second network having a lesser probability of providing transport.
24. A method according to claim 23 , wherein the first network is used initially to transport the service to the user, intersystem handover to the second network then being undertaken dependent upon a predetermined criterion.
25. A method according to claim 3 , wherein each network with which a contract for transport is agreed, in use, makes some radio resource reservation to accommodate said transport dependent upon the respective probability of the network providing transport.
26. A method according to claim 3 , wherein at least one network controller considers user location and/or terminal capabilities in estimating the probability of that network providing transport.
27. A method according to claim 3 , wherein network controllers dictate with what probability their networks can provide the transport, and the user controller or a service controller selects at least two networks to contract with in consequence.
28. A method according to claim 3 , wherein the user controller negotiates with the network controllers for provision of transport for multiple services to the user, the user controller agreeing to contracts for transport of the multiple services with at least two networks in respect to each of which the probability of providing transport for each service is less than one.
29. A method according to claim 3 , wherein the negotiations between the user controller and network controllers are via a service controller, the service controller being operative to negotiate with the network controllers for of transport for services to multiple users, each user controller thereby agreeing to contracts for transport with at least two networks in respect to each of which the probability of providing transport for each service is less than one.
30. A method according to claim 3 , wherein at least two of network controllers collaborate with each other in the negotiation.
31. A method according to claim 3 , wherein the negotiation is undertaken before or after transport of the service is started.
32. A method according to claim 3 , wherein at least one of the networks is a code division multiple access or wideband code division multiple access network for wireless telecommunications.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
June 30, 2003
July 15, 2008
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